Thread-collecting means for automatic looms.



A. E. RHOADES.

THREAD COLLECTING MEANS FOR AUTOMATIC LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED 11mm, 1911.

' 1 ,O20,662. Pa tented Mar. 19, 1912.

2 BEEETB-SHEBT 1.

n In [HIHIII H l ti-aesses,

A. E. RHOADES. THREAD COLLECTING MEANS FOR AUTOMATIC Looms.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.13, 1911.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912. i

UNITED sTArEs PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO E. RHOADES, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPEBCOMPANY, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 01 MAINE.

THREAD-COLLECTING MEANS FOR AUTOMATIC LOOMS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALoNzo E. RHOADES, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Hopedale, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts,have invented an Improvement in Thread-Collecting Means for AutomaticLooms, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawingrepresenting like parts.

This invention relates to automatic filling-replenishing looms wherein afresh supply of filling is inserted in the working shuttle while theloom is in operation, and it has for its object the production of meansto collect promptly and automatically the filling-ends left by thereplenishing operation and to retain them out of the way of the shuttleor other moving parts of the loom.

In the Northrop type of loom the fillingcarriers or bobbins are held bytheir butts and tips in a rotatable hopper, from which they aretransferred to the shuttle as required, the filling-ends being ledoutward around a disk-like guide attached to the outer end of the hopperand thence to a central holding /st-ud or knob. rangement holds the endof the filling while the shuttle is picked after replenishment, and italso provides the requisite amount of slackness to prevent breakage, andafter 'the new filling is carried through the shed the filling-end issevered adjacent the cloth at the replenishing side. This severedfillingend is still held at the outer end of the hopper and hangs downtherefrom, so that it is necessary for the weaverto wind it around thestud or knob to keep it out of the way ofthe shuttle, as otherwise itwould tend to be carried into the cloth. The weaver should thus attendto the filling end imme diately after each operation of the replenishingmechanism, and the accumulation. of yarn on the holding stud must beremoved from time to time in a tangled bunch or mass, as otherwise theloose ends would tend to shake off and hang down in the Way of theshuttle.

In accordance with my present invention I haveprovided means forcollecting Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 13, 1911.

Such ar- Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

Serial No. 665,423.

promptly and automatically the severed filling-ends into the form of aloose rope depending from the central stud of the endholding means, andretaining such ends at a point toward the front of the loom, at such adistance from the shuttle path as to be out of the reach of the shuttleas it is picked back and forth. This loose rope of waste filling can becut off and removed from time to time, but the weaver is relieved of thenecessity of looking after a filling-end when replenishment is effected;the waste does not collect in an indiscrimi nate, tangled mass on theholding stud, and it can be quickly and easily removed.

The various novel features of my invention will be fully described inthe subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in thefollowing claims.

Figure l is a top plan view of the re lenishing side of an automaticloom oi the Northrop type, with one embodiment of my present inventionapplied thereto, a part of the hopper and the end-holdin means carriedthereby being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionaldetail on the line 2-2, Fig. 1, looking toward the ri ht, showing theguiding means for the fillingend ad acent the mouth of the replenishingshuttle-box; Fig. 3 is a similar detail, on the line 3-3, Fig. 1,looking toward the right, showing in elevation the stationary retainerfor the filling-ends, and the device on the lay by which the severedfilling-ends are pushed frontward along the retainer; Fig. 4 is a frontelevation of the replenishin end of the lay with the platelike pushertiereon by which the severed filhng-ends are ushed frontward on theretainer, the latter eing shown in section, taken on the line 4 4, Fig.1.

The lay A having a shuttle-box B at the replenishing side of the loom,the threadoutling temple C, Fi 1, to sever the fresh filling-endadjacent t e selvage of the cloth, the rotatable hopper to contain thefillingcarriers or bobbins in reserve, and com rising essentially theconnected disks or p ates D, E to sustain the bobbins at their butts andtips; the end-holding means oonsistin of the bell-like uide disk F andcentre stud or knob G own only in dotted lines,

Fig. 1) the transferrer H, and the stud I on which it is mounted torock, are and may be all substantially of well known construction, suchfor instance as are shownin tion or web 3 of such arm has a series ofteeth or notches 4 in its upper edge, the web tapering from front torear, as does the flange 5, which latter is horizontal for the greaterpart of its length, and also toothed or notched on its inner edge, at 6,said web being at the inner side of the flange, as clearly shown inFigs. 1 and 3. The two series of teeth preferably alternate, or arestaggered with relation to each other, with their vertical faces towardthe front of the loom, the retainer as a whole being extended rearwardjust above the path of movement of the top of the shuttle-box B, Figs. 3and 4, and inside but adjacent the periphery of the guide F.

When a bobbin is positioned for transfer by the feed of the hopper thatpart of its filling-end between the hopper disk E and guide F will rideforward over and rest upon the toothed edge of the flange 3, near itsrear end, as will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 3, and ustafter replenishment, when the shuttle has been picked from the box B,the fresh filling-end will be positioned substantially as indicated atT, Fig. 1.

A bracket 7 fixedly mounted on the front of the lay near the outer endof the box B has attached to it a pusher, shown as a flat late 8frontwardly extended and moving ust beneath the web 5 of the retainer,the front edge of the pusher being notched or toothed at 9. When the laybeats up to front center the toothed edge of the pusher is about indotted line position, Fig. 1, and from a point immediately under theretainer extends inward quite a distance. As the lay swings rearward theedge 9 of the usher will move back behind the severed lingend, the freeend of which by that time will have dropped down and depend from theretainer, see Fig. 4, so that on the next beatup the pusher w1ll engagesuch depending part of the thread and will push it forward along theretainer. The teeth 4 and 6 will catch the filling-end thus pushedfrontward and will kee it from bein shaken rearward, and w ile the saidnot be retained in its'extreme frontward pglling-end may sition on theretainer the 'first time it is pushed forward it cannot go back veryfar, and on a subsequent beat-up of the lay the pusher 8 will move thefilling-end to its extreme frontward position on the retainer,substantially as indicated by dotted lines at T", Fig. 3.

It will be remembered that while the severed filling-end is held by thestud or knob G it hangs loosely therefrom, bends around the periphery ofthe guide F, and passes over the toothed retainer, its loose end hangingdown therefrom, all as shown in Fig. 4, partly in dotted lines, and thepusher is toothed at 9 in order that it may more securely control theloose, hanging end of thread as the lay beats up. Manifestl the teeth 9prevent lateral movement 0 the loose end of thread after it is engagedby the pusher, and as the. filling-end 1s pushed frontward along theretainer the upright.

faces of the teeth thereon prevent any material retrograde movement ofthe filling-end.

As the bobbins are transferred one after another the severedfilling-ends will be gradually collected in a loose rope or chain at thefront of the retainer, and held thereby at such a distance from theshuttle path that there is no possibility of the shuttle catching andtaking back a filling-end into the cloth. The collected ends will bevery slowly Wound up on the knob or stud G as the hopper is rotated stepby step, but it will be apparent that the loose rope or chain can bequickly unwound from such stud, or it can be cut from time to timebefore it has an opportunity to accumulate on the stud to any extent.

I have provided means at or near the mouth of the replenishingshuttle-box to control the filling-end thereat, so that the looseextremity of the severed filling-end cannot drop into the shuttle-box.To this end I provide the inner end of the front. box

wall at its top with a frontwardly extended shelf-like support 10 havingat its front end an upturned stop 11, and atits rear end a second stop12, preferably undercut, as

shown in Fig. 2, the top of the said stop being frontwardly and upwardlybeveled, as

It will be seen from an inspection ofFigs. I

1 and 2 that the backof the casting of which the support 10 forms a partis ing upwardly and frontwardly inclined from the bottom. of the recessK, the part 17 being slightly concaved and extending upward and forwardfrom the incline 16,- As shown in I roaopa'a Fig. 2 the concave surface17 spans the corner between the lay raceway and the inner box B, thefilling leading from the moving shuttle to the end-holding means on thehopper, and as the lay swings back the filling-end T will travel up thecam surfaces 16, 17 and itwill be thereby directed upward and frontward,first against the convexed rear end 14 of the support casting, and thenover the beveled top of the stop 13 onto the'support 10, the pull ortension of the filling-end assisting in this movement.

The filling-end T is\shown at the time it has, been directed onto thesupport 10, in

the manner just described, and it is retained by the stops Hand 12 onthe support in front of the shuttle-box B', while the shuttle passesthrough the shed. On the following eat-up the filling-end will generallybe severed by the thread-cutting temple C, or

1 after one or two succeeding forward beats of the lay, the undercutstop 12 preventin the filling-end from moving rearward o the support 10,and when the filling-end is severed it either sags down in a loopbetween'the support 10 -and the retainer 3', 5,

or'it will draw over such stop and drop down between it and the saidretainer. In either case the severedfilling-end will be in the path ofthe pusher 8 and the latter will push such filling-end frontward alongthe retainer, as previously described.

Thethread directin devices located at the mouth of the rep 'enishingshuttle-box prevent the filling thread from dropping into or across theshuttle-box after the filling end has been parted,.thus obviating anytendency of the incoming shuttle to become fouled, and such devices alsoserve to position the filling-end so that when parted or severed it willbe in the path of the pusher, to be thereby moved forward along thetoothed retainer and held by it out of the way.

, Various changes or modifications in details of construction andarrangementmay be made by those skilled in the art without departingfrom the spirit and scope of my invention asset forth in the annexedclaims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by LettersPatent is:

1. In a looln provided with automatic filling-replenishing mechanismincluding a filling-feeder having an attached filling-end holder, a lay,and means to sever the fresh filling-end between the cloth and thefeeder, in combination, a stationary retainer extended rearwardly belowand between the filling-end holderand the feeder, to catch and retain asevered fillin -end, and means on the lay to engage such filling-end andush it frontward along the retainer on the eat-up of the lay, successivesevered filliii -ends being thereby massed together and he d'by theretainer away from the lay and out of the shuttle path. i

2. In a loom provided with automatic filling-replenishing mechanismincluding a fillingfeeder having an attached filling-end holder, a lay,and means to sever the fresh filling-end between the cloth and thefeeder, in combination, a stationary retainer extended rearwardly belowthe filling-end holder and having a toothed edge, to catch ".and retaina severed filling-end depending from the end holder, and means on thelay moving adjacent the retainer to engage the severed filling-end andpush it frontward along the retainer on the beat-up of the lay,successive severed filling-ends being massed together on the retainerand held thereby out of reach of the shuttle.

3. In an automatic fillin replenishing loom, arotary hopper, afilllng-end holder at the outer end thereof, and means to sever thefilling-end after filling replenishment, in combination, a stationary,re'arwardly extended thread-retainer at the replenishing side of theloom, to engage and sustain a severed filling-end, means on the retainerto prevent movement of a filling-end toward the lay, and a devicecarried by the lay and movable adjacent the retainer, to engage asevered filling-end hanging over the retainer and push such filling-endfrontward on the beat-up of the lay.

' 4. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, a hopper, a holder forthe filling-ends of the bobbins contained by the hopper, means to severthe filling adjacent the cloth after filling replenishment, and a layhaving a shuttle-box at the hopper side of the loom, combined withthread directing means on the lay adjacent the mouth of the box todirect the filling-end frontward out of the shuttle path afterreplenishment, a stationary thread retainer extended rearward above thelay path between the hopper and the filling-end holder, to support asevered filling-end, and means on the lay to engage such a filling-endand push it forward along the retainer and away from the shuttle path.

5. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, a hopper, a holder for thefilling-ends of the bobbins contained by the hopper, means to sever thefilling adjacent the cloth after filling replenishment, and a lay havinga shuttle-box at the hopper side of the loom, combined with astationary, toothed retainer extended rearwardly across the saidshuttle-box on the beat-up and beneath the filling-end of a bobbinremoved from the hopper upon replenishment, to uphold such filling-endwhen severed, and a pusher on the lay and movin adjacent the retainer,to push the severe filling-end frontward v a filling-end landfilling-endthereon as the lay beats up, the teeth of the retainer preventingrearward movement of thereon. V

6. In an automatic loom having filling replenishing mechanism, includinga hopper thread-cutter, in combination, a stationary, 'rearwardlyextended retainer projecting beneath the saidholding means, a device onthe lay to engage a severed filling-end adjacent the retainer and pushsuch filling end frontward upon the retainer, and means on the layadjacent the mouth ofthe replenishing shuttle-box to engage and directthe filling-end out of the path of the shuttle.

7. In an automatic loom having filling replenishing mechanism, includinga hopper and filling-end holding means, a temple thread-cutter, and 'alay having. a shuttlebox at the replenishing side of the loom, incombination, a frontwardly extended support near the mouth of such box,athreaddirector on the lay having a cam surface to engage a filling-endafter filling replenishment and direct it upward so that it may passonto said support, front and rear stops on the supportftopreventdisplacement of the filling-end on the same, and means to collectthe severed filling-ends at a point in front and out of the Way of theshuttle, said means comprising a stationary retainer'a-nd a cooperatingpusher mounted out-he lay.

8. In an automatic loom having filling replenishing mechanism, includinga hopper and filling-end holding means, and a temple thread-cutter, incombination, a stationary, rearwardly extended retainer projectingbeneath the said holding means, the retainer having an upright web and alateral flange,

each having a toothed edge, overwhich a 1 the retainer, to engage asevered holding means, and a temple- Loaeoa severed filling-end hangs,and means reciprocating fore and aft in a path adjacent filling-end andpush it frontward thereon'away from the shuttle-path.

9; In an automatic loom having filling replenishing mechanism, includinga hopper and means to hold the filling-ends of the bobbins in thehopper, and a device to sever the filling-end adjacent the cloth afterfilling replenishment, in combination, a stationary retainer extendedrearward below the filling-end holding means, to support and hold asevered filling-end, and means reciprocating fore and aft in a pathadjacent the retainer, to engage the severed fill ing-end dependingtherefrom and move it frontward along the retainer away from theshuttle-path. Y

10. In an automatic loom having filling replenishing mechanism,including a hopper and means to hold the fillin -ends of the bobbins inthe hopper, and a evice to sever the filling-end adjacent the clothafter fillin replenishment, in combination, means to collect the looseand severed filling-ends, 7

